The Strength of a Hobbit
by Liz Huisman
Summary: Bilbo watches his son leave him.


Title: The Strength of a Hobbit (1/1)

Author: Liz Huisman

Rating: PG

Disclaimer: Let's see…um…not mine…not making money…Tolkien Estate…don't sue… sounds good.

Summary: Bilbo watches his son leave him. 

A/N: Whoo! Elrond's in this story! Whoo! Elrond! Yay for Elrond! Agent Elrond! Whoo! On a less whoo-y note, this story is being written during the Super Bowl XXXVI Pregame Show. It's a sad story. Of course Bilbo doesn't have a son. But you already know who I'm talking about. Set in Rivendell. And there's Elrond. Whoo!

Bilbo Baggins stood on a high balcony, the biting winter wind blowing around him. It was a dark night, grim and starless. Only by the light of the Elvish lanterns could he see the receding shapes of the Nine Walkers leaving Rivendell to begin their quest to destroy the Ring.

It had been not ten minutes since Bilbo had said his farewell to Frodo, but already Bilbo felt the pang of missing him. The farewell had been light, Bilbo saying just to bring back many stories, and remember everything that happened, for Bilbo's book. It had been what Bilbo wanted, a light farewell. But truthfully, the only thing Bilbo wanted was for Frodo not to have to go at all.

"What has you standing out in this biting cold, friend?" asked a voice from behind Bilbo. He turned to find Elrond advancing towards him.

"I was watching them go."

Elrond came up beside him. "I know what you are thinking, Bilbo Baggins."

Bilbo sighed heavily. "I let my son go just now, Elrond."

"You gave him Sting and your _mithril_, that was very wise," said Elrond thoughtfully.

"How much could those two things help?"

"You may be surprised yet, dear friend. But I can see this is hard for you."

"My son, Elrond! Of course not by birthright, that honor belonged to Drogo, but after his untimely death, I raised him. He became to me a son, my only one. I do not expect he shall return, no matter what I told to him, or what anyone tells me. I can see it in his face that he does not expect to return either. Somehow, that just makes it harder to bear. But the fact that I brought this upon him is probably the worst feeling in the world. "Don't go up to Hobbiton, Frodo, the folk up there are queer", he was told, and I suppose he was right. He goes to his death because of silly Bilbo Baggins, probably the queerest of the entire Hobbiton lot!"

"You mustn't think that way, Bilbo. As has been said many times here, it was that you were meant to find the Ring, and so Frodo was _meant_ to possess the Ring."

"That doesn't help much, though. It still seems all wrong, him going off into all those dangers. And Samwise Gamgee! And those two rascals, Meriadoc Brandybuck and Peregrin Took. If only old Hamfast could see how brave his son is, or Saradoc, or Paladin. They'd be proud, sure as anything, but upset, as I am. They're such brave souls."

"If they knew how truly dangerous this journey will prove, they wouldn't be so brave."

"And that would not stop any one of them from doing it, all out of their closeness to Frodo. It's quite touching to see such loyalty to him, but it also makes me happy to see Frodo with such good friends, both on the journey, and back in the Shire! That Fredegar Bolger, he's very brave in his deed as well."

"And what would that deed be? This is a hobbit I have not heard of."

"He is the dear hobbit staying back at Crickhollow, as the decoy to throw anyone who may be dogging Frodo off his trail."

"That is indeed a dangerous position to be in. With all hope, everything shall come out alright."

"It's just nice to see Frodo have such wonderful friends as they are. I had that in my youth, but then I got older. I went off on an Adventure. I was the one who found Smaug's weak spot, to make it possible for Bard to slay him. I came back, considerably more wealthy than from when I had left, and I became and odd hobbit. A lot of hobbits believed that I should not deserve such riches, for my family was already wealthy and very respectable. Others just thought me odd for visiting my friends the Elves, and having Dwarves come calling, and of course Gandalf. But all the younger hobbits, especially the children of the Tooks and the Brandybucks, they all looked up to me, and thought me just another kindly old hobbit, Frodo being one of those to do so. But then the horrible tragedy befell Drogo and Primula, and I adopted Frodo. Of course, that sent the Sackville-Baggins off their handles in anger at not being my heirs; and my adoption of him ruffled many, many others feathers, in Hobbiton and the Buckland alike. From the Buckland, they didn't want Frodo coming up to Hobbiton, and being subjected to all our 'queerness', and the Hobbiton folk didn't want him coming, him being 'nothing more than a stupid Brandybuck and such'. He brought me great joy, he did. And to think, for it to end this way… but you, Elrond, surely are not interested in all of this history."

"Much the contrary, Bilbo. I am very glad to hear it, for it lightens my heart to know that in the Shire, a small corner of the world, that the most important thing to worry about is 'stupid Brandybucks' and 'queerness' of the Hobbiton folk. They don't yet have to trouble with all of the problems the rest of us do, and that makes me happy. I have only met a handful of hobbits in my lifetime, and all of them possess something grand. In you, Bilbo Baggins, is a brave heart, and a lust for learning possessed by no other hobbit. In young Frodo, I see also a brave heart, but also a determination to see things through. It was, perhaps, a wondrous thing, for all of us, that Frodo is the Ringbearer. He will see it through; I have faith in that. And he has some wonderful companions, who will make sure he sees it through, at any cost. Sam Gamgee. He surely is very loyal, and brave. Meriadoc is also a marvelous hobbit, though I have not had the privilege to spend much time around him. Though young, I can see something in him. Someday he will be great. Maybe not to the rest of the world, but in the Shire, he will be great, as will young Peregrin. I did not want him to go on this journey, but he is also extremely loyal, brave, and will see things through. 

"The strength of a hobbit is a marvelous thing, as I have learned in the last few years. First you, gallivanting off with dwarves, thirteen nonetheless! And now, those four, going off into the Wild, to go into the very depths of Mordor and destroy the Ring. If all Hobbits are like the five that I have met in my long lifetime, surely it would be near impossible to destroy the country that they have set up."

"You have said many kind words, Master Elrond, and somehow in all of them, I have found comfort. You are right, of course, in saying that hobbits are very tough indeed. I have seen it proven thus far, with Frodo and his Weathertop ordeal. You comfort me, though you may not know it, and I thank you kindly. Now, I believe that I can hear a poem calling me. With your leave, I shall go and write it down, maybe to share sometime."

"Of course, Bilbo. We wouldn't want you to forget all that you are creating in your mind."

Smiling, Bilbo took leave of Elrond. Elrond watched as the elderly hobbit went back inside the Last Homely House. 

Tonight had been hard on the old hobbit, that much was obvious. Elrond knew that everything would be alright, though. Bilbo would think much about Frodo for awhile, but soon, not as much. He had to admit to himself that Frodo would be in his mind much, too.

But for tonight, if Bilbo was doing okay with the whole situation, then that was a victory for Elrond. And for just this moment, everything was alright with the world.

Sadly, it was only for that moment.

END

A/N: I hope you enjoyed this story. I really do. I've spent much time working on it, and I hope everything is alright with it. I always wondered what Bilbo was really thinking when Frodo left. So I wrote this to fill that gap in my mind. And of course, there had to be Elrond. Much Elrondness. All is well in the world. The Super Bowl XXXVI Pregame Show is still going strong, and GO PATRIOTS! (I'm a huge Cheesehead myself, but if they can't get themselves to the Bowl, the Rams cannot win!) 


End file.
